Ireland has ended its coal era: after the closure of the ESB Moneypoint station, the country has completely stopped using coal in power generation. The plant, built in the 1980s during the oil crisis, had remained the only facility running on coal. It will now be converted for backup use on liquid fuel, but it is planned to be fully decommissioned by 2029. Ireland has thus become the fifteenth country in Europe to completely abandon coal-fired power generation.
Wind plays the main role in Ireland’s energy mix: in 2024, wind turbines generated 11 terawatt-hours, accounting for 37% of total electricity output. Analysts note the impressive growth of renewable energy and stress that the country has "rewritten its energy history."
Ireland’s transition matters not only for the climate and lower emissions. It is a step toward greater energy independence: local energy means less dependence on imports of fossil fuels. In the European context, this is especially significant: moving away from coal is becoming not just a trend, but a new norm, confirming that a sustainable future is real.
